Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

In Austen's first novel, which, at its heart, is about loving to read novels, she triumphantly assures us readers, “The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” Since Gothic novels were so popular at the time, Austen parodies these stereotypical tropes while maintaining her own distinctive voice. She also is introducing us to Bath high society with her classic ironic insight.

The centrepiece of this novel is the residence of the Tilney family, to which the novel gets its name, Northanger Abbey. Catherine, with her active imagination, is invited to stay with them, and as she sees it looming in the distance, she is told tales of dreadful secrets that old houses sometimes hold. Are its creaking floors trying to tell her the tale? Which mysteries will be unfolded in the dark past of their home? What adventures and miscalculations must our young heroine have before she reaches her true self-awareness?

As we see Catherine struggling to separate her beloved novels from real life, the narrator has us wonder, is it possible for young ladies to read "too may novels?"

Please 'Add your name to the Pump-room guest book' and have your RSVP updated by Wednesday, October 8th as we would like to make sure that we tell the restaurant the correct number of attendees.

\\ Please keep in mind, when we are having meetings in person and are indoors, and not via zoom or outside, your RSVP is very important. If you cannot make an event, please kindly remember to adjust your status so that people on our waiting list can be notified that there is a spot for them. \\

\\*You all were so great last year, so I thank you for continuing to update your RSVPs. I will still be still taking attendance this year. So just as a reminder, repeated no-shows will be bumped to the waitlist so as not to take up one of our limited spaces. But maybe moved day of, if the meeting is not full.\\*

We will also announce our next book at this meeting.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

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